Charlotte 49ers’ football team to honor late coach with golf tournament

The Charlotte 49ers’ football team will honor late assistant coach Phil Ratliff with a memorial golf tournament Aug. 1 at Rocky River Golf Club in Concord.

The tournament – called A Round For Ratliff – will benefit the family of Ratliff, who died unexpectedly in August 2015. Kevin Donnalley, a member of the 49ers’ football staff who helped the players organize the tournament, said if the event is a success and becomes an annual event, it might one day raise enough money to also provide a scholarship at UNC Charlotte.

So they have that kind of pioneering spirit to start something important and meaningful, and that’s what they’re hoping will come from this golf tournament.

Kevin Donnalley

Several 49ers seniors came up with the idea for the tournament. Among them were Stephen Muscarello, Thomas LaBianca, Jarred Barr, Matt Johnson, Tanner Fleming, Zach Bumgarner, Justin Bolus, Lee McNeill and Hayden Pezzoni.

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“Coach Rat was a walking example of what it meant to love and care for others on and off the field,” Muscarello said in a statement. “That kind of compassion is infectious, and we wanted to continue to pass it along. What better way than to help provide for his beautiful family and continue to build on his legacy so that 10 years from now people will still be talking about how incredible a man Phil Ratliff was.”

Ratliff was one of coach Brad Lambert’s first hires when the 49ers started their football program.

Ratliff, an avid golfer, was one of 49ers coach Brad Lambert’s first hires when Charlotte first announced it was starting a football program in 2011. The seniors on this season’s team are part of the 49ers’ first recruiting class.

“A certain kind of kid came here to play football, and Phil was such a huge part of bringing them here,” said Donnalley. “There wasn’t even a stadium or practice field to play on. So they have that kind of pioneering spirit to start something important and meaningful, and that’s what they’re hoping will come from this golf tournament.”